Fugitive charged with sex crimes arrested

The Gainesville man who skipped town nearly three years ago while on bail for multiple sex crimes against juveniles was arrested in North Carolina on Thursday.

Robert Gary Butler, 67, formerly of SW 10th Place in Gainesville, was originally arrested in October 2005 after a 16-year-old girl told Gainesville Police he had paid her to have sex with him more than 10 times.

Butler allegedly told police he knew the girl was 16 and that he had paid her for consensual sex on several occasions, giving her several hundred dollars or buying her clothing and other items on each occasion.

A subsequent investigation into the claims ended with Butler being charged with procuring a person under age 18 for prostitution, unlawful sex acts with a minor, directing and promoting sexual performances by a child and possession of photographs of sexual performance by a child.

While free on bond awaiting trial, Butler disappeared. A warrant was issued in July 2006 charging Butler with failing to appear in court and three months later the U.S. Marshal Service took the case, according to Deputy Marshal John Blount.

"We tracked him to several places - Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey - and we found him in a rural part of North Carolina," Blount said. Butler was arrested entering a wooded path in a park around 4 p.m. Thursday.

Blount said Butler waived extradition back to Florida and offered an explanation for why he fled.

"He said he would rather die than spend one day in prison," Blount said.

Butler was being held on a suicide watch in North Carolina before he could be returned to Florida.

Karen Voyles can be reached at 352-359-5656 or kvoyles@gmail.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.